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Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) - upper midwest districts serves Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) organizations and members in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. LCEF is a unique ministry-through-investment organization that offers LCMS members the opportunity to invest their money, earn interest, and help build LCMS churches and schools at the same time. www.lcef.org

The first of two $1,000 Minnesota South District Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) Scholarships is awarded to Heidi Ide, a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Plato, Minn. Ide is a sophomore at Gustavus Adophus College in St. Peter, Minn. majoring in nursing/psychological science. "It is my dream to become a specialized pediatric nurse practitioner and work in a children’s hospital helping children with cancer," wrote Ide in her application.

Ide and her family have been LCEF investors for years. Heidi's mother is a current LCEF volunteer and St. John's Y.I. Stamp Coordinator. "The money that I invested in LCEF was used to build and expand facilities for [LCMS] churches and schools just like mine. From a very young age I have been working with LCEF and giving back to my church and the other Lutheran churches all around me," wrote Ide. "By providing funds for churches, LCEF is able to not only build new churches and spread the Gospel of Jesus in that manner, they are also able to help improve and expand church facilities and schools to make sure the Gospel is there in that community for future generations to benefit and grow from."

According to Ide's pastor, Rev. Layton Lemke, Ide is "an impressive young lady" and willing to serve in various ways at church and in her community even as a current college student. Lemke highlights Ide's strong work ethic, Christian principles and determination to "make it on her own." She is active in many community groups and has had practical health care experience by working as a CNA at the Glencoe Regional Health Services.

There were so many qualified applicants for the Minnesota South District LCEF Scholarship this year; special thanks to all who applied and to those who took time to submit quality letters of recommendation on the students' behalf. The voting team committed a lot of time for review and prayed for discernment prior to meeting. In the end, we are happy to report that the unanimous decision was to award not just one but two MNS District LCEF scholarships for 2014.

Stay tuned to our newsfeed and Facebook to find out the next 2014 MNS scholarship award plus Iowa East, Iowa West, North Dakota, North Wisconsin and South Wisconsin Districts . . . All to be announced during April and by the first week of May! Lenten blessings to all.